Na Aseh V Nishma

NA’ASEH V’NISHMA

At the time of Matan Torah, Am Yisroel said, “na'aseh v'nishma.” Chazali tell us this was very significant and Am Yisroel was rewarded tremendously for this statement. What exactly does “na'aseh v'nishma” mean? There are several approaches in the meforshim.

One p'shat is, “we will do, and then we will hear.” This means that Am Yisroel accepted upon themselves to keep the Torah even before they heard the mitzvos, even before they heard the commandments of Hashem.ii Am Yisroel declared, they will do whatever Hashem commands them in the future and whatever they will learn, they will do. We trust in Hashem, and we know Hashem will only give us commandments that are good for us, for our benefit in olam hazeh and in olam habah. This idea is developed by the Rabbeinu Yonah in Pirkei Avos. The mishna (3,12) writes, “Whosever actions are greater than his wisdom, his wisdom will be retained.” The language of this mishna is very strange. How is it possible that someone can have more actions than wisdom? If you do not know it, how can you do it? Rabbeinu Yonah explains that the mishna means as follows. If a person accepts upon himself to do whatever he learns in the future, then he receives credit now for that which he will learn in the future. Then, when a person actually learns about the mitzvah and performs it, he receives schar a second time. Therefore, it is possible that a person can actually have more actions than wisdom because as long as a person makes that original commitment, he receives credit now as if he has performed all the actions already. This is a fabulous chiddush.

Rabbeinu Yonah there continues and writes that this is the p'shat in “na'aseh v'nishma.” Am Yisroel received credit for performing all the mitzvos when they said “na'aseh v'nishma,” even before they heard them. This is one approach to “na'aseh v'nishma.”

A second approach is that “na'aseh v'nishma” means “we will do and then we will understand.” “Na'aseh v'nishma” is teaching us the yesod that we do mitzvos even if we do not necessarily understand the reasons of the mitzvosiii. We do the mitzvos because Hashem commanded, and then, we try to understand the reasons. We will look in the meforshim who discuss the reasons for mitzvos- the Sefer HaChinuch, the Moreh Nevuchim, and Rav Hirsch's peirush on the Chumash. However, we always have to remember that we perform mitzvos because Hashem commanded us to, not based on the reason. “Na'aseh” first and then “nishma,” do the mitzvos and then we will try to understand. This is a major yesod in Torah hashkafa. It is good to try to understand the reasons for mitzvos. When a person understands the reasons for mitzvos, he often becomes more excited about the mitzvah, more passionate about the mitzvah. However, this is not the essence of the mitzvah itself. It is interesting to note that in Hebrew, the word 'ta'am,' which means 'reason' also means 'flavor.' What is the connection between reason and flavor? When a person understands the reason for the mitzvah, it adds flavor to the mitzvah. But, it is not the essence of the mitzvah itself. This is a second p'shat in “na'aseh v'nishma” which we have to be working on at this time of the year as we are getting ready for Shavuos. We do the mitzvos because Hashem commanded, and then in addition we should try to understand the reasons.iv

Some meforshim present a third approachv. “Na’aseh v’nishma” means that our living of Torah has to match our learning and knowledge of Torah. If I know something and I have learned something, it should be automatic that I will keep and fulfill that mitzvah.

The gemaravi explains that when Bnei Yisroel said na’aseh v’nishma, they each received two crowns, and 600,000 mal’achim came down and put two crowns each on the heads of Am Yisroel. However, when Am Yisroel sinned, 1.2 million mal’achim came down, and each mal’ach removed one crown from their heads. Why the difference? Why is it that a single mal’ach can give two crowns, but only take away one crown? We know that mal’achim can only perform one action each. The Maharal explains that when Bnei Yisroel said na’aseh v'nishma, they accepted upon themselves the entire unit of na’aseh v’nishma - that they would practice and fulfill what they learned. It was a complete unit, and therefore each mal’ach, angel, could provide two crowns. The giving of the two crowns is therefore considered one action, and one single mal’ach can give both. The giving of two crowns represents one yesod: my living of Torah must match my learning of Torah. However, when Bnei Yisroel sinned, they gave up this unit of na’aseh v’nishma, they put a break in between the na’aseh and the nishma. Each crown is now viewed independently. Therefore, now there needs to be double the amount of mal’achim, in order to remove the crowns that have been separated on the heads of Bnei Yisroel.

This is exactly the lesson for us: our living of Torah has to match our learning of Torah. On Shavous, we have to evaluate if we keep the Torah just like we learn it, if we see na’aseh v’nishma as a whole, complete unit. This is an important lesson to take in with us in our final preparations for Matan Torah.

We should all be zocheh to be mekabel and internalize all three approaches to na’aseh v’nishma. Chag Sameach and Good Shabbos, B. Ginsburg i Shabbos 88a ii See the Rashbam on Shmos 24,7 and Rabbeinu Yonah (Avos) iii For a full presentation of this approach, see the Maharsha (Mahadura Basra, Shabbos 88a). iv

I once heard a beautiful explanation from Rav Ahron Solovetchik zt"l where he explained the connection between reason and flavor. Rav Ahron explained as follows: the reason for the mitzvah only adds flavor to the mitzvah. When a Jew understands the reason for a mitzvah, he is likely to do it better, with more excitement. But the essence of the mitzvah is- I do what Hashem commands because Hashem said so. So we should view the reasons as adding flavor to the mitzvah, but not the essence of the mitzvah itself.

Based on this vort of Rav Ahron zt"l, I wanted to offer the following mashal. Mitzvos are like vitamins, they are good for you. A person goes to the doctor, and the doctor prescribes vitamins or a certain pill. Most people who go to the doctor do not know enough about medicine or chemistry to understand why this particular vitamin will help them. And yet we take them anyway. Why? Because we trust the doctor. We feel confident and secure enough with our doctor to follow his advice. We are entrusting the doctors with our physical health. So the person takes the prescribed pills and takes the vitamins because they trust the doctor. Mitzvos are like vitamins, they are good for you. If Hashem commanded a mitzvah, it is good for us. It is healthy for us spiritually and psychologically. The mitzvah is certainly good for us in Olam Haba, and it is also good for us in Olam Hazeh. Mitzvos are good for us. We may not understand the mitzvah, but we trust Hashem. If I trust the .doctor, then it goes without saying that I trust Hashem

Let us take the mashal one step further. When a person understands the reason for the mitzvah, then a person gets more into the mitzvah and becomes more excited to do the mitzvah, and he will do it with more fervor. When one understands the mitzvah, there is more of a geshmak when performing the mitzvah because one really understands why it is beneficial and what it accomplishes. So when a person understands the reason for a mitzvah, it adds flavor to the mitzvah. He is more excited about the mitzvah. So to complete the mashal, if mitzvos are like vitamins, then mitzvos with reasons are like Flinstones vitamins! When you take regular vitamins they do not always taste good, but Flinstones vitamins taste good and you enjoy taking them v See the Maharal (Shabbos 88a) and other mekoros cited in the Artscroll gemara there note 42. vi Shabbos 88a